Updated April 19, 2017 14:52:24

"Putting Australia first" — change a few letters and these words by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull could easily have been uttered by US President Donald Trump.

Mr Turnbull made the comment on Tuesday when he announced an overhaul of the way businesses can hire skilled foreign workers, a decision similar to one being carried out by the US leader on the other side of the world.

Mr Trump has ordered a review of his country's skilled worker visa program, having previously called for the scheme to be abolished.

"We are sending a powerful signal to the world: we're going to defend our workers, protect our jobs and finally put America first," he said.

After two decades and tens of thousands of visas, the 457 visa category has been abolished. But what was it and why does this matter?

It's language that closely mirrors that of the Australian leader, who told reporters the system replacing the now-abolished 457 visas would "put Australians and Australian jobs first".

Mr Turnbull has not shied away from the comparison to the US leader, underlining his nationalistic rhetoric on local jobs for locals when speaking with Sydney radio station 2GB on Tuesday.

"Every national leader should seek to do that, whether you're the Prime Minister of Australia or President of the United States," he said.

He also told the ABC on Wednesday that "commentators can make whatever comparisons they like".

Hanson, Bernardi claim credit

The Coalition has been accused of trying to woo supporters of One Nation, a party which has repeatedly praised Mr Trump since his election.

One Nation leader senator Pauline Hanson has claimed credit for the changes, recirculating campaign material which emphasises "jobs for Australians first" and "Australian values" — a phrase used by the Prime Minister in his announcement.

Liberal-turned-crossbencher senator Cory Bernardi has also claimed credit for the changes, but Mr Turnbull said it was a "decision of the Government".

But that Government includes rebel backbencher George Christensen, who has repeatedly threatened to quit the Coalition and destroy its majority in the Lower House.

The Queensland MP last year argued for action on the 457 visa scheme, saying he wasn't afraid to stir things up if his colleagues failed to restrict the program.

This all comes just four years after Mr Turnbull criticised moves by the former Gillard government to crack down on the visa, describing language used by the former leader as "thoroughly xenophobic".

But the comments made by Mr Turnbull on Tuesday sound very similar to those from Julia Gillard in 2013: "Labor's policy on Australian jobs is to put Australian workers first."

Topics: turnbull-malcolm, immigration, government-and-politics, donald-trump, federal-government, australia, united-states

First posted April 19, 2017 14:29:51